Inweekly March 17 2022 Issue

THE GREEN ISSUE

Independent News | March 17, 2022 | Volume 23 | Number 11

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winners & losers

outtakes

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5

news 6

I've been saving trash off the ground ever since.

feature story

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publisher Rick Outzen

graphic designer Tim Bednarczyk

editor & creative director Joani Delezen

contributing writers Gina Castro, Savannah Evanoff, Jennifer Leigh, Jeremy Morrison, Sydney Robinson, C.S. Satterwhite, Tom St. Myer

contact us info@inweekly.net

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Independent News is published by Inweekly Media, Inc., P.O. Box 12082, Pensacola, FL 32591. (850)438-8115. All materials published in Independent News are copyrighted. © 2022 Inweekly Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

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winners & losers

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winners

losers

RODRIQUES KIMBROUGH The military vet-

eran has been named the new mass transit director for Escambia County Area Transit (ECAT). He joined ECAT in April 2020 as the ECAT's deputy director. Kimbrough was instrumental in building the partnership with the Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged. He launched innovative transportation solutions to improve mobility and provide greater access to the urban areas of Escambia County. He also boosted workflow productivity by 20% by creating a successful organizational design and implementing a new recruitment strategy.

“

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announced it would temporarily shutter 850 restaurants in Russia but would keep paying staff. "The conflict in Ukraine and the humanitarian crisis in Europe has caused unspeakable suffering to innocent people. As a system, we join the world in condemning aggression and violence and praying for peace," said McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski in a statement. "Our values mean we cannot ignore the needless human suffering unfolding in Ukraine."

DAVID HEROUX The interim director for

AT-LARGE DISTRICTS Four years ago, Sarasota County voters approved switching to single-member districts, which allow citizens to cast ballots for a single county commissioner from the district in which the voter resides. This is the system used in Escambia County. In December, the Sarasota County commissioner voted to have voters reconsider the change and return to at-large districts, where voters vote for all five seats. On Tuesday, March 8, 57% of voters rejected the county commissioner's plan. The county will continue to have single-member districts, which is not a good omen for those who want to eliminate singlemember districts in Escambia County.

GULF COAST FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES Commander Navy Region Southeast

GULF POWER ENERGY SELECT Last month, a Florida Power & Light spokesperson told Beulah residents at a town hall that charging higher rates for greater usage was how the utility got customers to conserve energy. Gulf Power, FPL's predecessor, had a different strategy, Gulf Power Energy Select. Users could control online their usage, such as shutting off water heaters, pool pumps and certain appliances during non-peak hours. FPL discontinued Energy Select on Dec. 31, 2021.

JEFFREY ALAN SHARP ASM Global has

DELENA T.

NO BIG MACS FOR PUTIN McDonald's

appointed Sharp as general manager of the Pensacola Saenger Theatre. He brings with him to this role an AS in Aviation Flight Technology, an AS in Business Management and a BS in Human Resources Management from the University of West Florida. The Gulf War veteran's background includes restaurant management and commercial building management. Since 2015, Sharp started as a part-time maintenance technician and worked his way up the ranks with the Saenger.

communications and public information has had "interim" deleted from his title after an unanimous approval by the Escambia County Commission earlier this month. Heroux is an award-winning commercial writer, producer and director with over 17 years of experience in television and commercial production. In 2016, he joined Escambia County as the video production specialist. Last fall he was named interim director of the department.

Rear Adm. Wesley McCall and Naval Air Station Whiting Field recently congratulated the winners of the 2021 Fire and Emergency Services award competition. The admiral recognized Gulf Coast Fire and Emergency Services, consolidated NAS Pensacola and NAS Whiting Field, as Fire Department of the Year, Large Category. Navy Region Southeast Military Fire Officer of the Year is Aviation Boatswain's Mate 1st Class Adam Montoya and Navy Region Southeast Military Firefighter of the Year is Aviation Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class Ricardo Sotofabela, both stationed at NAS Whiting Field.

GREAT RESIGNATION According to a recent Pew survey, low pay and no advancement opportunities were the top reasons workers quit during the Great Resignation of 2021, followed by felt disrespected at work, childcare issues and not enough flexibility in hours. However, those who quit their jobs didn't leave the workforce. They are either full-time (55%) or part-time (23%). Of those, 61% say it was somewhat easy to find their current job, with 33% saying it was very easy. inweekly.net

outtakes

By Rick Outzen

A MORE GENEROUS REALITY Most of the people we encounter at work and in our neighborhoods are friendly, considerate individuals. Life is pretty normal as people move about Pensacola. However, the world we may see on social media paints a much darker picture of our community, and when reality doesn't match their nastiness, they double down and get even more shrill and combative. As Axios pointed out last week, one would think we were all nuts and nasty. Happily, most people are sane, kind and generous but too busy to be bothered with living on social media 24/7. The news service dug into the data and found most Americans are friendly, donate time or money, and would help you cut your grass—"they are busy, normal and mostly silent." "These aren't the people with big Twitter followings or cable news contracts—and they don't try to pick fights at school board meetings," wrote Axios editors. "So the people who get the clicks and the coverage distort our true reality." Three-quarters of Americans never tweet. On an average weeknight in January, just 1.5% of U.S. adults watched primetime either Fox News or MSNBC (3.35 million). Nearly three times more Americans (56%) donated to charities during the pandemic than typically give money to politicians and parties (21%). The average donation was $574. We were generous, even before the pandemic. The Charities Aid Foundation's World Giving Index surveyed 1.3 million people in 125 countries and found the United States was the most charitable nation globally, followed by Myanmar, New Zealand, Australia and Ireland. And we donate more than dollars. Consistently high numbers of Americans say they helped a stranger (72%) or volunteered time (42%). Although men participate slightly more in two of the activities, men and women are remarkably similar in their tendencies to help strangers, donate money and volunteer their time. Men have been more likely than women to help a stranger (49% of men vs. 46%

of women) in the past decade, but they are equally likely to have donated money (29% of men and women). Men are also slightly more likely than women to volunteer (22% of men vs. 19% of women on average). Over 50,000 Americans have found a new way to help Ukrainian families. They are booking an Airbnb stay in Ukraine—not to visit but as a way to send money to a family in need. Speaking of the Ukrainian crisis, the Russian Federation made the bottom 10 in the Charities Aid Foundation's World Giving Index with only 12% donating money to charities, 16% volunteering and 35% saying they help strangers. Its ally China has the lowest Index score over the 10 years, ranking in the bottom of all three measures the foundation asked about— helping a stranger (31%), donating money (11%) and volunteering time (5%). This year, we've seen several considerable donations to local causes. Attorney Troy Rafferty and his wife, Ashley, donated $1 million for a community center for the Southern Youth Sports Association. Retired NFL player Doug Baldwin Jr., Jim and Shirley Cronley, the estate of Fred Levin, Mike Papantonio and their law partners have collectively contributed an additional million. Last month, five Pensacola families—the Bear Family Foundation, the Jo and Bill Jones Family, the Pete Moore Family and James J. Reeves—endowed $1 million worth of scholarships to support students in STEM-related programs at Pensacola State College. The University of West Florida recently announced a gift commitment of more than $600,000 from Sandy Sansing to support the Sandy Sansing Need-Based Student-Athlete Scholarship and expand the Darrell Gooden Center to include a new Sports Medicine Center. Dr. Judy Bense, UWF president Emeritus, and Eric and Peg Nickelsen, UWF Football Founders, also contributed $100,000 to the Sandy Sansing Sports Medicine Center. The world is nicer than you might see on social media, and Pensacola is a very generous city. Can I get an amen? {in} rick@inweekly.net

Nearly three times more Americans donated to charities during the pandemic than typically give money to politicians and parties.

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A NEW HOUSING PLAYBOOK supplies has significantly increased and buyers are willing to pay over the appraised price is a difficult sell. For a private developer, buying and razing a dilapidated house and then building and selling a larger structure on the same property is a safer investment. Ellis spoke to city officials about incentives to reduce the expense for Mount Lily Studios. Housing Director Marcie Whitaker said the incentives include tax increment financing (TIF) rebates and expedited permitting. The TIF allows the city to invest in public infrastructure upfront and then pay later for those investments by capturing the project's future anticipated increase in tax revenues. Mount Lily Studios qualifies for expedited permitting as an affordable housing project, moving it up in the pecking order over previously submitted ones.

"There's definitely a need with the cost of housing. It's a case of supply and demand. The demand is greater than the supply." Marcie Whitaker

Photo by Tim Bednarczyk

By Tom St. Myer An affordable housing crisis with no signs of slowing down anytime soon is prompting four Pensacola developers to take action. Inspired by a CivicCon presentation to take ownership of the development of their community, John David Ellis, Alistair McKenzie, Jamal Warren and Jordan Yee have invested in transforming a dilapidated church on North A Street into six affordable housing units. The nearly 4,000-square foot Mount Lily Church will become Mount Lily Studios barring any setbacks in the approval process. "Our hope is to develop housing that can be objectively defined as affordable," said Ellis, broker and owner of Voyage Real Estate and Porch Property Management. "We're not using affordable for marketing or as a buzz term. We're hoping to do it in such a way that anyone would want to live there." According to data from the Pensacola Association of Realtors, the median price for a single-family home is $300,000, an increase of $80,000 since 2019. Renting an apartment is just as costly for residents, at about $1,600 per month. Salary increases over that same span pale in comparison. The Area Median Income in the city is nearly $74,000, meaning a significant number of residents pay above 30% of their household income—the U.S. Department 66

of Housing and Urban Development threshold for affordable housing. Developers, realtors and city officials cite an array of contributing factors for the skyrocketing housing market, starting with the fallout from the COVID-19 global pandemic. An influx of employees with the freedom to work remotely has attracted new residents from all over the country. "Recently, we sold a property where we knew what the buyer was offering exceeded what an appraiser would support," Ellis said. "We brought that to the attention of the buyer and the agent, but the buyer had just sold a property in Atlanta and was willing to pay cash above the value. That's the nature of the market we're in. We've had buyers from Denver and New York even, and everything looks like it's for sale in Pensacola. The stuff they're paying $300,000 for here they're paying $500,000-600,000 in their market." While the number of potential homebuyers continues to increase, the same is true for the cost of building housing structures. The global pandemic in 2020 has triggered a supply chain shortage. One cause for the scarcity of supplies is factories in Asia and Europe shut down or reduced their workforce. In turn, shipping companies anticipated a drop in demand for moving materials and cut back on their schedules. Convincing private developers to build affordable housing units when the cost for

"We are excited about the opportunity, and we hope he is successful moving forward," Whitaker said of Ellis. "There's definitely a need with the cost of housing. It's a case of supply and demand. The demand is greater than the supply." To turn Mount Lily Studios into reality requires securing conditional use approval—a two-step process that began on Tuesday, March 8, with the approval from the Planning Board, and will be granted if approved by the city council. A conditional use permit authorizes construction in a particular zoning district. The developers cited in their request that the project qualifies for conditional use approval because the code allows for "adaptive reuse of vacant, public, semi-public, institutional, church or historically significant structure" in zoning districts, "which, by nature of its size, structural layout, site layout or other unique features, could not feasibly be redeveloped for adaptive reuse under existing zoning regulations, a conditional use permit may be granted." Mount Lily Church has been an eyesore with missing windows and construction debris scattered around the property. Damage from Hurricane Ivan forced the congregation to vacate the church nearly 20 years ago, and only squatters have occupied the property since. Ellis said they discovered dirty, tattered clothing, food wrappers, cigarette butts, soda bottles and beer cans, a small metal pan and a camper stove, among other items, when they cleaned out the building. The back door was forced in and the latch broken. Damage to the property extends beyond what is in plain sight. Yee, an architect and owner of Places for People Design, said some of the brick settled over time, causing damage

to the foundation. He explained, "Renovating existing buildings is always more challenging because you uncover things you didn't know about or you wish weren't there." For all those drawbacks, the property has its share of positives. The structure is solid with concrete block walls and features 60-year-old wooden trusses and a brick facade and is on what Yee describes as a "pretty sound" concrete slab. The developers estimate renovations will take about 18 months. Their plans include removing a drop ceiling to showcase the wooden trusses and vaulted ceiling and creating one central corridor for the six units. Each unit will be 400-500 square feet. "By saving the building, we're keeping a little history of the neighborhood," Yee said. "Doing these small projects is definitely more challenging, but I think the neighborhood should have something that's to scale with the rest of the neighborhood." The developers have been engaged with neighbors throughout the process. Ellis said they reacted positively to them cleaning out the building, but some voiced concern about future tenants parking their vehicles on the street. Ellis understands their concern, but he estimates 20-30 spots to park on North A Street. Kristin Brown lives near the property and supports the developers building an affordable housing unit that will potentially attract a younger workforce to the neighborhood. "It literally is in my backyard, and I'd rather have that than an abandoned church where people are squatting," said Brown, president of the Westside Garden District Neighborhood Association. Ellis said the success of this project hinges on community support. If Mount Lily Studios comes to fruition and the investors prosper, their model will be replicated and perhaps put a sizable dent in the affordable housing crisis.

"Yeah, you can build a $600,000 home and make x return, but here we are building affordable housing, and we're able to make a similar return." John David Ellis "We're trying to blaze a trail for private developers," he said. "Yeah, you can build a $600,000 home and make x return, but here we are building affordable housing, and we're able to make a similar return. Can we do that? If we can, we can give our playbook to other private developers and show that you can do good while doing well financially." Ellis added, "We're past the point of trying to figure out how to solve the problem. We need to start solving it. Even if our first shot at addressing the issue isn't perfect, I think if we can just get good enough to start turning the tide and bringing supply to the market, that's what it's going to take." {in} inweekly.net

March 17, 2022

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PSC Foundation Donors / Photo Courtesy of PSC

BAPTIST'S SECRET Last month, Mayor Grover Robinson alluded to potential movement on the affordable housing front, particularly concerning the West Moreno District property that is currently home to Baptist Hospital. At his Monday, March 7, presser, the mayor revealed that Baptist wasn't ready to reveal any plans just yet. "I cannot say any more at this particular time about Baptist Hospital," the mayor said, before adding that Pensacola City Councilman Delarian Wiggins had also gotten a peek at Baptist's plans and that "he was very excited about what was presented to him." Robinson went on to say that Baptist officials were "still working through a couple of things" and that ultimately, he thinks the whole thing "has the potential to be very important." "I'm excited to see what comes out of Baptist Hospital when they're ready to share, which should happen in April. I think they have some really good things," he said. "They want to make sure that everyone thinks that this is workable, and if it's workable, I think they're going to look to make an announcement on it." MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING According

to the mayor, beyond any gain in affordable housing with Baptist, the city is ready to begin moving forward with its own efforts. At his presser, Robinson said the city is looking to identify available properties to locate affordable housing units—both single-family and multi-family units. "Up in my office, I have a big map with a bunch of lots on it, most of which are either on the east side neighborhood or the west side area," said the mayor. "We have a number of lots we can put housing on, and we think it's going to be important to do that." Once the city identifies available properties, Mayor Robinson said local developers would be engaged. The city will also be working with groups such as Habitat for Humanity, which has had issues in the past not meeting city codes. 88

"I think the challenges experienced with Habitat—and we had this frank discussion with them—were about the style of home that they had before," said Robinson. "But what they have is an incredible new design that actually matches what our code is and is workable and still affordable to build." Insofar as the local developers that the city aims to attract, Robinson hopes those projects would work as training grounds where individuals can gain experience in the construction trade and then fill a need in the local job market. "We also think if we can give people more skills in the home building and construction trade, we will eventually encourage more supply, which will also, in turn, bring down prices," the mayor said.

EARLY DETECTION OF ALZHEIMER'S Dr.

James Arruda, professor in the University of West Florida Department of Psychology, recently signed a consulting and licensing agreement with California-based company BIOPAC Systems Inc. to collaborate on the development of a device that could be instrumental in the early detection of Alzheimer's. A patent is estimated to be completed within six months. Arruda has dedicated more than a decade to Alzheimer's research, with a focus on searching for a biomarker that may hasten the detection and treatment of the disease so that patients may have an improved quality of life. In a press release, he said, "This research was motivated by the global need for a non-invasive, inexpensive, easily administered and accurate measure of Alzheimer's-related neuropathology." Arruda said they are working on an electroencephalographic, or EEG, device capable of detecting the early neuropathological changes associated with Alzheimer's dementia. This includes amnestic mild cognitive impairment, which he said most clinicians believe is an early risk factor for Alzheimer's. An EEG device offers a less expensive solution that is more readily available and less invasive than other

currently used methods such as positron emission tomography, known as PET, scans and cerebrospinal fluid collection and analysis. In a conversation with Inweekly publisher Rick Outzen on WCOA, Arruda explained the value of early detection of Alzheimer's. "The name of the game is early detection, primarily because we haven't been able to come up with a cure for individuals who are in the latter stages of the disease," he said. "The earlier we detect this, the more likely it is that we can find a cure." Arruda continued, "And some of the treatments that we've had in the past may actually work if we detect it early enough. They have not been successful in individuals where we've tried to apply them later when somebody's certainly dramatically presenting with symptoms."

ARCHITECTS SELECTED The Institute for

Human and Machine Cognition has selected its architect for its $20 million Healthspan, Resilience and Performance Research Complex to be built on Garden Street across from St. Michael's Cemetery (Inweekly, "IHMC's Next Step," 3/10/22). The winning team is a group led locally by DAG Architects, whose principal is Dave Luttrell, in partnership with Brent Amos from Cooper Carry, headquartered in Atlanta and with substantial experience in biomedical facilities. The next step will be soliciting a construction management firm to join the team.

COVID PREVENTION Following a COVID-19 roundtable convened by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis where Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo recommended against the COVID-19 vaccine for "healthy children," the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (FCAAP), which represents more than 2,500 pediatricians across the state, spoke out in support of the COVID-19 vaccine for all eligible children ages 5 and older in Florida. "The COVID-19 vaccine is our best hope

for ending the pandemic," said FCAAP President Lisa Gwynn, DO, MBA, MSPH, FAAP. "The Surgeon General's comments today misrepresent the benefits of the vaccine, which has been proven to prevent serious illness, hospitalizations and long-term symptoms from COVID-19 in children and adolescents, including those who are otherwise healthy." She continued, "The evidence is clear that when people are vaccinated, they are significantly less likely to get very sick and need hospital care. There is widespread consensus among medical and public health experts about the life-saving benefits of this vaccine." The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and FCAAP both recommend that all eligible children 5 years and older and adults get the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as they can. "The vaccine offers children the best opportunity to remain in school for in-person learning, which is vital to their mental and emotional health, as well as allowing them to fully engage in all of the activities that are so important to their health and development," said Dr. Gwynn. "It is irresponsible to advise parents not to vaccinate their children against this virus."

IT'S BACK The day after Gov. Ron DeSantis declared the COVID-19 pandemic over, the state worked with Escambia County to open a monoclonal antibody site at the Marie K. Young-Wedgewood Community Center, 6405 Wagner Road. The monoclonal antibody site, which will also offer COVID-19 testing, will be open Monday-Saturday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. It will be closed on Sundays. There is no timeframe for how long the site will remain open. This marks the return of monoclonal antibody testing locally after the Bayview Community Center testing location closed on Nov. 19, 2021. MILITARY FRIENDLY The University of

West Florida has been recognized with a 2022-2023 Top Ten Military Friendly® School designation in the large public category. In the annual rankings released on March 7, UWF ranked No. 4, jumping to the highest spot on the list in school history. UWF was the only Florida State University System institution to earn recognition from Military Friendly® in the large public Top Ten category. Pensacola State College was named a 2022-2023 Gold Military Friendly® School, the 13th year the college has received the accolade and the first time earning the gold designation. Pensacola State is one of 282 schools to receive the "Gold" award status for leading practices, outcomes and effective programs that dedicate resources to military students to ensure success in the classroom and after graduation.

A YOUNG PERSON'S GAME Mayor Grover Robinson recently reminisced with Inweekly publisher Rick Outzen on WCOA about his

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2006 campaign for the Escambia County Commission District 4 seat. At the time, he defeated veteran incumbent Tom Banjanin, who had served as a state representative, city councilman and county commissioner during his political career. "Our election was on the same ballot as the Maritime Park, and it really was a lot of young people that pushed a lot of things with the belief Pensacola could be better and do things differently," said the mayor. He added, "We knew that people that were being under-serviced, and we've tried to address those things."

"I think you need new ideas, new thoughts, new things coming in all the time. It makes for a better community." Grover Robinson Today, he believes that local politics are "a little bit of a young person's game." He explained, "I think you need new ideas, new thoughts, new things coming in all the time. It makes for a better community." He noted that the people who joined him on his campaign in 2006 were young. Robinson said, "We said, 'Don't you want to create a community where your child can come back here?' Those people today, like myself, are now fairly middle-aged. It is time for a new generation to go on." The mayor continued, "And thankfully, I never thought it might happen, but it looks like my son may come back here and have the opportunity. My daughter certainly has the opportunity."

FLY GIRLS! The Naval Aviation Museum

Foundation and STARBASE Pensacola have partnered with the Girl Scouts Gateway Council to present Fly Girls! Girl Scout Day on Saturday, April 9, from 10 a.m.-noon in the National Naval Aviation Museum atrium. This STEM-based educational event is tar-

geted for actively registered Girl Scouts, levels Brownie and Junior, and will feature a funfilled day with appearances by Amelia Earhart and a surprise guest. Girl Scout participants will have opportunities to earn either a Fling Flyer Badge or a Balloon Car Badge. They will enjoy a history tour led by former Girl Scout and National Naval Aviation Museum curator Dina Linn. Fly Girls! Girl Scout Day is limited to 25 Girl Scouts per badge. All participants must register with the Girl Scouts of Gateway Council at bit.ly/3sOZ1Hu. The registration deadline is midnight, March 21. Parents and siblings can stay and tour the National Naval Aviation Museum, but the event will be geared strictly for Girl Scouts in grades 2-5.

ANALYST NEEDED On Tuesday, March 8,

the Escambia Children's Trust held its first board meeting since Tammy Greer came on board as its executive director. Approved by voters in 2020, the trust is responsible for allocating more than $10 million in property taxes for programs that improve the lives of local youth and their families. Board Chair Stephanie White shared with Inweekly, "Hopefully, this summer we can get RFPs out, and we can start handing checks out this summer. That's my goal. I know that's Tammy's goal. So we really are looking forward and hoping to have the money to hand out sometime this summer, latest by August." Before handing out checks, the trust needs to identify needs. White said, "The statute is very clear that we have to state the needs and state the data to be able to fund these organizations." Though her board already has needs assessment done by the Studer Community Institute, Achieve Escambia and other organizations, the information needs to be analyzed. "All these wonderful organizations have compiled what our needs are, but then we need it put all together in a concise report that says, 'This is our baseline data. This is where we're starting from.' And so there is an RFP out for that."

The Request for Proposal for a needs assessment consultant can be found on escambiachildrenstrust.org. The deadline for applications is 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 7.

MORE WEATHERSTEM On Thursday,

March 3, the Escambia County Board of County Commissioners approved a Memorandum of Agreement between the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) and Escambia County to acquire two WeatherSTEM stations to be located in Molino and Perdido Key. During Florida's legislative session, the Florida Legislature appropriated $970,000 to FDEM to fund the Florida Severe Weather Mesonet, known as the WeatherSTEM. The stations provide hyper-local, real-time weather data in strategic locations to provide critical information to assist in deploying resources to impacted areas during times of severe weather. "We are excited to bring two more WeatherSTEM stations to Escambia County," said Public Safety Director Eric Gilmore. "These devices serve an important function for not only Emergency Management but also for the citizens. This will allow us to track weather activity throughout several locations in Escambia County accurately." The county currently has WeatherSTEM stations at the fire stations in Beulah, Century, Pensacola Beach and Walnut Hill. The new ones will be placed at the fire station in Molino and the Perdido Key Chamber of Commerce. As part of the Memorandum of Agreement, FDEM will pay for the maintenance of the WeatherSTEM stations for the next three years, beginning as soon as the stations are installed. Escambia County residents may access the WeatherSTEM stations by clicking the links above or visiting weatherstem.com. To learn more, visit myescambia.com.

CANDIDATE FORUM Women for Responsible Legislation will host its first candidate forum of 2022 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Thursday, March 24, in the Hagler/Mason Conference Room at

Pensacola City Hall, 222 West Main Street. All Pensacola City Council District 2 candidates have confirmed—Brian Hoffman, Charletha Powell and Brian Wyer. County judge candidates Paul Hamlin and Scott Ritchie have also confirmed. The forum is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

TWO NEW HIRES The city of Pensacola last week announced the addition of Public Works & Facilities Deputy Director of Operations James Cook and Assistant Housing Director Meredith Reeves to the city's team. Both have worked in local county governments. Cook served as Santa Rosa County's interim public works director, and Reeves most recently served as a division manager with Escambia County. "We are fortunate to have both of these talented individuals here at the city of Pensacola," Mayor Grover Robinson said. "They each bring about 20 years of experience in their respective fields, and I am confident that their hard work will help us even better serve the citizens of Pensacola." As the deputy director, Cook will oversee the Stormwater Maintenance, Traffic Operations and Facilities Maintenance divisions. As the city's assistant housing director, Reeves will assist with planning, directing and coordinating the work of the Housing Department. CITY FINANCES The Government Finance Officers Association has awarded the city of Pensacola the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the city's Fiscal Year 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR), marking the 41st year the city has received the award. The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management. There are over 4,300 participants in the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting program. To learn more, visit gfoa.org. {in}

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THE GREEN ISSUE Here at Inweekly, we like to do things our own way. We know Earth Day is in April, and that's when most publications do their green issues. But we happen to think one can and should go green whenever they want, and it feels especially appropriate this week, when we're all already wearing and drinking green. So that's how we decided to celebrate St. Patrick's Day this year—with an issue dedicated to the good-forMother-Earth kind of green. For this very special and very green issue, we profiled a few local creatives who are making sustainability a priority, explored the environmental pitfall of lawns and more.

March 17, 2022

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CRE ATI NG SUSTAI NABILIT Y BY GINA CASTRO

Rejewel / All photos courtesy of the artists

It's a known fact to wear green on St. Patrick's Day—but there are quite a few creatives in Pensacola who are green all year. And they aren't doing it just to avoid leprechauns. For this special issue, Inweekly interviewed a few creatives and business owners who are passionate about reusing materials and waste to create something new.

TRASHY TRANSFORMATIONS

Usually, when people think about the tons of trash drifting in the ocean, the last thing they imagine is wearing it. But Sandra Calvo is giving trash a second life as chic jewelry. Plastic debris makes up 80% of marine debris. It is the most abundant type of litter in the ocean. This persistent issue inspired Calvo to create jewelry from plastic. "Even if you're not on the coast, your plastic may be going into the ocean," Calvo said. "It's not something that people really think about." Calvo is a secondary science education teacher. Her internship with a marine science class taught her about marine life, ecosystems and conservation, so she began facilitating conversations about plastic in the ocean by wearing plastic earrings. "If I ever got compliments, I could use that opportunity to have short conversations about plastic pollution and reducing waste with whoever was complimenting me," Calvo said. As part of a hobby, Calvo started cutting up the bottle tops, laundry detergent bottles, shampoo bottles or whatever else plastic she had at home to make into earrings. She'd give them to family and friends, but her mom encouraged her from the beginning to turn this hobby into a business—Rejewel. Calvo decided to give it a shot when she and her husband moved to Pensacola. "When we got here, I tried out the Pensacola Arts Market," Calvo said. "The community 212 1

here is very open and supportive of small businesses. That's actually the reason why I was able to lean into what was originally a hobby." In the past nine months or so, Calvo recycled about 60 bottle tops, a dozen or smalland medium-sized bottles and a couple large laundry detergent containers. "It's definitely a significant amount considering the little amount that is needed to make earrings," Calvo said. She collects trash for her jewelry through donations, trips to the beach and organizations that do beach clean-ups. Plastic comes in a multitude of fun colors like teal, red and yellow. She places the finely cut plastic into a silicone mold, adds some gold foil to give it a "luxe look" and uses epoxy to hold everything together. 10% of Rejewel's profits go toward organizations focused on ocean conservation. Calvo's donated to Debris Free Oceans, SENDIT4THESEA and Ocean Conservancy. "My main reasons for making the jewelry is to raise awareness and have these important conversations with people but also to raise money for these organizations," Calvo said. The Rejewel Etsy shop is currently on pause while Calvo settles in her new home in D.C., but you can follow her on Instagram for updates.

BUILDING AN INTERSECTIONAL, SUSTAINABLE FASHION BRAND

Fashion is an incredible form of selfexpression. It's a conversation starter. It's a self-esteem booster. But the fashion industry has skeletons in its closet, too. Its grip on society’s beauty standards caused the industry to exclude more people than it included. Nancy Butler, the creator of Lemonbright, always had an interest in the fashion industry but felt intimidated by the strict gender norms

and lack of plus-size options. So she started stitching her own vintage fits using clothes from estate sales. "I'm plus-sized, and I had a hard time finding vintage clothing that fit me correctly," Butler said. "So I started cutting it up and making it fit me." When people started complimenting Butler's clothes and asking where she'd bought them, she realized she could make clothes for others, too. She established Lemonbright in 2013. "My main purpose is to fit who people already are," Butler said. Lemonbright's clothes aren't genderspecific and fit a broad range of body types. But making fashion more inclusive isn't Butler's only motivation. She's also passionate about reducing waste. In 2018, Americans generated more than 17 million tons of textile waste, according to the EPA's latest municipal waste statistics. "I feel like the industry produces so much that we have to do our part to make sure that our clothes don't end up just thrown away," Butler said. Rather than purchasing fabric from JoAnn's, Butler upcycles clothes from estate sales, thrift stores and donations from customers. She also creates custom orders using customers' clothes that have holes and other damage. "People get to see their items recreated in a different way, and it makes them a part of it in a different way than shopping at Target," Butler said. "I feel like I've really built a community of people that care about giving back and care about the clothes that they wear. They want to look cool and represent themselves in the way they want to." All of Lemonbright's clothes are created with solar power energy. Butler makes her clothes in her solar-powered bus that she converted into her home five years ago. Earlier this month, Lemonbright was featured in its first fashion show. All the designs featured at the show were made from recycled and reused fabrics. "That is something that I would love to do again," Butler said. "It was cool to be able to show people a different side of the fashion industry." Lemonbright can now be shopped in-person at Cobalt Studios on East Wright Street, as well as online on Etsy. Butler is also a hairstylist at the salon.

COLLECTING INSPIRATION

Local artist, Rebecca Staples learned "art is what you make it" from her high school 3-D art teacher. Throughout the class, they used any and all materials to create art, including ceiling tiles, Styrofoam boxes and parts from broken computers. Staples credits her art teacher for showing her the artistic potential of trash. "I've been saving trash off the ground ever since," Staples said. Staples is an assemblage artist who reuses materials to create her artwork. She finds materials by picking up interesting chunks of metal, rusty bottle caps or whatever else she comes across. She even has some materials from Hurricane Sally. To keep her collection of trash from getting out of hand, she came up with a rule to only collect what is directly in her path. Recently, she's been giving her household trash a second life. Staples used her dryer sheets to weave designs, and her old grocery plastic bags were used in her piece "Bull's Eyeball."

"I really focused on my own personal consumption," Staples said. "I've been thinking about how to combat our need to make our lives convenient and faster. I can personally make changes by using these things in my work." Staples started calling herself an artist only recently. After having her second child, Ezra, in January 2020, Staples felt a need to create art. "I felt like navigating the world at that time and all the stressors—I just didn't have control of anything in my life," Staples said. "There's a lot of emotion that went into it, but it finally got me making again. And it's really therapy for me." She participated in her first market in December at the Pensacola Artist Market and plans to participate in more in the future.

REJEWEL

Instagram: @rejewelbysandra TikTok: @rejewel etsy.com/shop/rejewelshop

LEMONBRIGHT

Instagram: @lemonbright etsy.com/shop/lemonbright

REBECCA STAPLES Instagram: @becaboux

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Spring Events Bodaciously You: A Journey to Self Discovery March 29, 5 PM We’ll be discussing “Happy Not Perfect” by Poppy Jamie Led by Sharla Calloway, LCSW, of Calloway Counseling, LLC Mention the Book Club and get 15% off your purchase of the book

STEM Saturday with Rising Minds Learning March 26 & April 23 • Storytime for all ages at 11 AM • STEM activities for 3rd through 5th grade from 12:30-1:30 PM

April Book Club April 5, 5 PM Book of the month: ‘Honor’ by Thrity Umrigar.

Storytime every Saturday at 11 AM 110 E Intendencia St bodaciousbookstore.com March 17, 2022

BOD0674 INW 3_17 Bookstore Half pg.indd 1

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3/11/22 8:55 AM

T H E G R AS S I S ALWAYS GREENER BY JEREMY MORRISON

The lush green lawn is the landscape of suburban dreams. It's a space to relax, a status symbol, a Saturday obsession. "We are basically a nation of amateur groundskeepers, right?" said Ed Osann, the National Resource Defense Council's director of Water Use Efficiency, Water Initiatives, Healthy People and Thriving Communities Program. But, as it turns out, green lawns—managed turf for aesthetic purposes—are not particularly green at all, at least environmentally speaking. These expanses of grass surrounding our houses, which we toil so hard to upkeep, are likely a harmful drain on the environment, wasting resources and spoiling waterways. "I guess the issue of lawns, especially in a place like Florida, is to keep them at a standard that a lot of people want to see does require a lot of water and fertilizer and chemicals," said Christian Wagley, coastal organizer with Healthy Gulf. "That is how it's typically done,

GRAPHIC NOVELS

KIDS BOOKS

but it doesn't have to be that obnoxious. There are ways to minimize all of those bad things about a lawn."

TRICKLE-DOWN ECONOMICS OF LAWNS

In addition to using water for irrigation purposes, perhaps the most environmentally challenging aspect of a lawn involves its impact to local waterways. This is due to the chemicals—fertilizers and pesticides—that people use on their lawns. "For lawns to be overly fertilized and for that nitrogen-based fertilizer to make its way into waterways, that is a particular concern for estuaries," Osann said. "If you can sidestep the need to have frequent applications of nitrogen fertilizer, you'll likely have a positive impact on water quality in the area." This water-quality issue is a big deal in

Florida, particularly a place like Pensacola, situated on the coast and surrounded by a network of estuaries. "Fertilizer runoff can introduce excess nutrients into our system that feed algae at higher-than-normal rates," said Logan McDonald, community outreach coordinator with the Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program. "While a little extra fertilizer on your yard might not seem like a big deal, it is a cumulative impact that adds up from many sources all across the watershed. This extra food means more algae that can tip the balance of our systems and lead to algal blooms that reduce or limit oxygen in the water, which can result in large fish kills. Some algal blooms, like red tide, can also be toxic to humans and impact tourism and our local economy." Wagley refers to this cycle as "multiple levels of cascading impacts." "When you get that explosive growth of algae, you subsequently get a rapid dieoff of algae that causes the bacteria in the water to explode, and that's what robs the water of oxygen," he explained. "There's a term for this called nitrification, that's basically waterways that are over-nutrified. It is perhaps the most common impairment of waterways along the entire U.S. Gulf and Atlantic coasts. It basically happens everywhere there are people." One way to lessen our lawns' impact on the environment is to use less fertilizer and pesticides and also less irrigation, thus less water waste and runoff into local waterways. "Things like shrubs and wildflowers and grasses, all of those need less water, less fertilizer, less pesticides than lawn grasses do," Wagley said. Or a property owner could transform their yards into productive garden spaces. This is what Renee Perry, of East Hill Edible Gardening, helps local property owners do with their yards. "You can have a vegetable and herb garden. You can, of course, incorporate fruit trees. When you think about it, you can have crape myrtles or you can have blueberry bushes, or you can have grass or you can have a vegetable garden, both require a certain amount work, but if you choose blueberries and a vegetable garden, you actually get something from it: you get produce, you get, I think, more enjoyment and you get healthier options for your diet; you get more outdoor time for yourself, more contact with nature," Perry said. "It's all good stuff."

BIG HUGE EXPANSE OF NOTHING

What is a lawn? Where does our obsession with these parcels of trim turf come from? Perry sums up the historical motivation succinctly—"A mimicry of people who have money." In this country, lawns began to take hold when people began replicating the romantic landscaping trends they saw coming out of 18th-century France and England. The empty spaces of manicured turf signified status and that the landowner needn't turn the property into a productive space. "They have this big, huge expanse of just nothing," Perry said. Unfortunately, this notion of lawns signifying status is rooted pretty deep and continues to shape our perception of yards. "There's actually people who still have a mindset that growing vegetables makes you look poor," Perry laughed. Interestingly, Wagley notes that this air of affluence continues to influence trends where yards are concerned. Until fairly recently, he said, most yards in his neighborhood of Old East Hill were fairly natural and represented minimal environmental strains. "I bet you there wasn't a single in-ground irrigation system in Old East Hill until about 10 years ago," Wagley said. But this is changing. There are a lot of new development in the neighborhood—a lot of money coming in, fixing things up, installing irrigation systems and laying down ornamental turf grass. "I guess they feel that this level of the marketplace demands these things," Wagley said. Unfortunately, the natural environment demands something different.

FLORIDA-FRIENDLY LANDSCAPING

Property owners interested in transforming their yards into more environmentally friendly spaces can check out the University of Florida/IFAS Extension's Florida-Friendly Landscaping Program. The online resource provides information concerning appropriate plants, water efficiency, managing pests and attracting wildlife, as well as reducing stormwater runoff and recycling yard waste. Visit ffl. ifas.ufl.edu for more information.

FIRST TIME HOME BUYER SPECIALIST

Voted Best Real Estate Agent

909 N. 12th Avenue

pensacolapopcomics.com 414 1

SIMONE SANDS, Realtor © cell 850-293-2292 office 850-434-2244

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KEEPING PENSACOLA BEAUTIFUL

Photo Courtesy of Keep Pensacola Beautiful

With Pensacola's current growth and expansion rate, ensuring a safe, clean environment is crucial, but Keep Pensacola Beautiful (KPB) goes the extra mile by emphasizing the importance of community involvement. The local nonprofit has been around for over 40 years, been passed through different leadership and experienced three name changes before reaching its renaissance in 2017. With the help of social media, local business partnerships and a wonderful team of dedicated employees, members and volunteers, the organization began to gain in recognition around the community.

Executive Director Sigrid Solgard earned her position in 2017 and has since taken the nonprofit to new heights by prioritizing community action. "We have a number of community outreach programs we focus on and use to foster the community aspect feeling," Solgard said. "We want everyone to be as involved as possible." KPB's mission is to provide education and resources for sustained community improvement throughout Escambia County. They achieve this by hosting and participating in multiple events, recycling initiatives and providing educational opportunities. "As much as we would love to do everything for everyone, we want to get everyone involved in the process of keeping our community beautiful," Solgard said. "That is always the goal of all of our initiatives." Adopt-A-Spot is a program they developed that allows a separate group to adopt a location in Escambia County and be responsible for the litter removal for a minimum of two years. Any family, organization, business or school can choose to become a part of the program and commit to at least four cleanups a year in their spot and report the results back. They also have seasonal and situational initia-

BY ABBY HALL

tives that benefit the community outside of organized events, such as recycling Mardi Gras beads and Halloween candy wrappers and collecting Christmas trees to be recycled into mulch. The nonprofit strongly believes "when neighbors get outside, get together and get to work, their quality of life improves." Currently, with spring just around the corner, KPB is beginning its annual participation in the Great American Cleanup. Each year, the Great American Cleanup has more than five million volunteers and 600 communities across the nation participating in a series of events that focus on community cleanups, involvement and beautification during the spring months. The month of March specifically focuses on litter removal, so KPB will be hosting events called Clean Your Block that focus on the beautification of specific neighborhoods. The first event was earlier this month in the neighborhood by Legion Field, and the second will be next Saturday, March 26, at Greater Little Rock Baptist Church. Last year, they had over 200 volunteers, 624 total hours worked and 1,300 pounds of litter collected at their Clean Your Block event. To make sure the events are fun for volunteers, they provide lunch and an after-party. Looking ahead a bit, KPB will be putting on a bag swap event in April for recycling plastic bags and an event in May that assists elderly, disabled and/or single-parent community members. Although community action is the driving force behind KPB, education is just as important. Waste in Place is a curriculum designed to engage with kids K-8 through hands-on proj-

ects that focus on all the core values that the nonprofit supports. Litter awareness and prevention, community engagement, recycling habits and compositing are incorporated into lesson plans or education levels to help integrate more knowledge of a sustainable lifestyle. A couple of years ago, KPB launched a membership program where you can receive discounted tickets and have access to other perks throughout the year. "Membership is the best and easiest way for people to support us right now," Solgard said. "If we had everyone in Escambia County become a member of Keep Pensacola Beautiful, just imagine all of the things we could accomplish."

CLEAN YOUR BLOCK WITH KEEP PENSACOLA BEAUTIFUL

WHEN: 9 a.m.-noon, Saturday, March 26 WHERE: Greater Little Rock Baptist Church, 901 N. A St. DETAILS: Registration before the event is required for all volunteers. For more information, visit keeppensacolabeautiful. org/clean-your-block. For more information about Keep Pensacola Beautiful's events and membership program, visit keeppensacolabeautiful.org.

SEED BOMBING FOR A GREENER COMMUNITY Have you ever been walking around your neighborhood or somewhere downtown and seen an abandoned lot or a oncevibrant city-maintained planter and wished there was a way to beautify the blight? There is—and it's actually a fun little DIY project. Rather than simply tossing flower and plant seeds onto the dry ground and wishing for the best, some recommend creating "seed bombs." They are a mixture of compost, clay and seeds that can be tossed anywhere you wish to see green and growth. The practice of creating these nutrient-rich pellets of seeds goes back to ancient practices in Japan, which were revived in the 1970s by Masanobu Fukuoka, a Japanese farmer and philosopher who wrote about them in his book "The One-Straw Revolution." Since then, guerrilla gardeners worldwide have utilized the practice to reclaim underutilized areas for community gardens and natural restoration. The benefits of seed bombs are endless— a greater diversity of (native) vegetation, an influx of pollinator-friendly plants and flowers including bees and butterflies, food for March 17, 2022

hummingbirds, food for communities in food deserts and just general beautification. In places where grass seems to be the only acceptable greenery, the spreading of native seeds can help decrease floodwater erosion, fill in areas with sandy, growth-resistant soil or help replenish a natural balance to overworked soil. If you want to DIY your own seed bombs, you'll need some compost, some clay and your seeds of choice. The bombs should be formed with water for binding and should be allowed to dry out in a sunny area for at least 24 hours. If you skip the drying step, your seeds will likely germinate before you've had a chance to spread them around. Once the bombs are dry, store them and wait for the perfect planting moment. It's recommended that you do your bombing in the late winter, early spring or early fall. Trying to plant delicate flowers from seed in May or later will have a very low success rate due to our intense sun. You can plant ornamental plants or go for fruit and vegetables. The most important thing to consider when selecting the type of seeds is that you do not plant anything that is invasive

BY SYDNEY ROBINSON

to the Northwest Florida area. We have plenty of issues with invasive species as is. If you want to try your hand at making seed bombs with other like-minded folks and have the supplies provided to you, Alga Beer Co. will be hosting a workshop later this month. Or to help you make your own seed bombs at home, here's a recipe adapted from the Wild Seed Project in Maine: •1 dime-size portion of clay (which can be purchased locally at First City Arts Center) •1 dime-size portion of compost (which can be purchased locally from ECUA's compost program) •2-5 seeds of your choice (more if small; fewer if large) •A few drops of water •Combine clay and compost with water until a small ball forms, press an indentation into the ball and place your seeds and then re-form the ball. •Optional: Roll the bombs in dried flowers (like roses or lavender), or colored powder, to make them pretty. {in}

Photo by Brett Reid

FLOWER POWER SEED BOMB WORKSHOP

WHEN: 2 p.m., Sunday, March 27 WHERE: Alga Beer Co., 2435 N 12th Ave. COST: $15 DETAILS: algabeerco.com 15

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WEEK OF MARCH 17-23

Arts & Entertainment art, film, music, stage, books and other signs of civilization...

Jumping Rope with Brittany Davis By Sydney Robinson

Brittany Davis / Courtesy Photo

Seattle-based musician Brittany Davis considers themself to be a conduit for the music they create. "I don't create my own music; the music creates itself,'' said Davis. "I'm just the speaker." Davis is a blind, Black, nonbinary musician, and in creating music, they have found a special freedom and joy, which is evident in the sounds they create. "For one thing in my life, the disability doesn't get to come first," Davis told Inweekly. On their upcoming debut EP "I Choose to Live," Davis sings about overcoming adversity, creating space for self-reflection and rejecting the urge to seek perfection. "I feel as if a lot of the time in media, we have come to expect a form of perfection that isn't even humanly possible," said Davis. "In that quest for the perfectly imperfect being, we cannot and have not truly accepted ourselves, not at our highest or lowest." "In this EP, I'm hoping to share that message with people that some days, you're gonna be your best self, and that's beautiful, and March 17, 2022

some days, you're going to be your worst self, and that's beautiful, too." Like many musicians, Davis draws inspiration from their background, and their journey with gender imparts some of the most satisfying themes. "Gender is a celebration for me," said Davis. "That's the part of my music that is celebratory." "I know for a fact that the secret to life, for me, is just to celebrate and embrace the power of gender, both ends and everywhere in between. Because what's the point of having a jump rope if you ain't gonna turn the rope? You got to have both hands on that thing; you got to get control of that thing. You got to jump! I'm not going to spend another day staying stuck." The first three singles from the EP were released earlier this year, including the title track, "I Choose to Live," in January. In it, Davis reflects on the last two years of the public health crisis, police brutality, polarizing social issues and more. The impactful anthem

reclaims Davis' power and provides a cathartic reminder of the resilience of humanity. "You know, the reception has been wonderful. I just feel honored to be the vessel that that song chose to come through. It's been beautiful." Creating music since they played the organ at church in their hometown of Kansas City, Davis has been lighting up the Seattle music scene for the last decade. Even in the turbulent last two years, the musician says their passion for creating never paused. "Musically, the creativity was always on 10. I've never struggled to create; I'm still creating," said Davis. "Like, I'm sitting here, I've got my notepad open right now and a whole song just came out in like three days. So the fervor and the passion for what I do, and basically what I am at the DNA level, is still on fire, and it's never going to change." While Davis flourished musically in 2020, they found that the societal shutdown had a significant impact on them as a disabled person. "When COVID hit, things really closed off, and I really began to be isolated for the first time," said Davis. "And it means that, you know, being blind, it cuts into my ability to get myself to the store—so then depending on people to get me to the store, because my metro services don't run, or are only for emergencies, and the services that we use to get around are no longer available because everything's closed so you can't schedule a ride if there's no worker in the office." Though the issues of accessibility were exacerbated in the shutdown of the last two years, issues with access have always been at the forefront for the blind community.

"Because there's certain jobs we just can't do," said Davis. "It's like, okay, I have a braille printer that costs $5,000. When's the last time a sighted person paid $5,000 for a printer? The technology that we need is not mainstream, the way that we exist is not mainstream, and the companies that help us find solutions are not mainstream." Music, for Davis, is one world that isn't affected by their disability. "Here's the beautiful thing about music—music doesn't need an ability; it just needs a vessel. And so if you are willing to be a vessel for sound, it will come to you," said Davis. "That's one of the things that I've always stood on is that I'm a vessel of sound. That's the way that I like to think of it is I'm broadcasting what I'm doing. I'm broadcasting the love that God gave me in the beginning."

"That's one of the things that I've always stood on is that I'm a vessel of sound." Brittany Davis As the process of creating and sharing music continues to improve and get more sophisticated, Davis worries about access. "Technologically speaking, the creative part of my process can be hindered by what man considers the innovation of computer technology and digital technology, because not all of it is accessible to me," explained Davis. "I have to live by a different set of guidelines in order for the computer to even work." "I just really wish that there was a universal system that we could all stick to that integrated the power of innovation with the necessity of accessibility." Outside of their solo career, Davis is also a member of Seattle-based band Painted Shield, who recently met in person for the first time since the pandemic to record and film music videos for their latest releases. "Sometimes a song comes out of me, and I'm like, 'I don't know what just happened,' or whatever it was, it was time for it," said Davis. "That's the way that I approached Painted Shield, which is that, 'Oh, I'm such a kid. Let's jump; let's see what happens.' And I just love having bandmates to share that with." Davis' "I Choose to Live" digital EP will be out Friday, March 18, on Loosegroove Records. Make sure to follow them for updates and release information at instagram.com/brittanydavismusic. {in} 17

a&e happenings newspaper called the Gulf Coast Fish Cheer 50 years ago. "War Against Conformity: Pensacola's 1970s Underground Press" will be a pop-up exhibit with a full run of the Fish Cheer and many other underground newspapers on display. They need your old posters, pins, patches, clothing, underground newspapers—anything related to the anti-war movement, women's movement, Black power movement or veterans' movement circa 1965-1975. They're especially interested in photos, fliers and ephemera with a local focus. Your donated materials will help expand the permanent collection, from which this show will be drawn, and make it more inclusive. The deadline for drop off is March 31. Please contact Scott Satterwhite at satterwhite309@gmail.com if you have questions.

ARTS & CRAFTS EXHIBITORS FOR JAZZFEST Jazz Pensacola is calling arts and

Photo Courtesy of Pensacola Arts Market

ST. PATRICK'S DAY EVENTS

ST. PATRICK'S DAY AT O'RILEY'S Visit

O'Riley's Irish Pub Thursday, March 17, all day for specials and corned beef and cabbage. From 8-10 p.m. $1 drinks will be available. O'Riley's Irish Pub is located at 321 S. Palafox. Visit orileyspub.com for more information.

2022 GO IRISH ON THE ISLAND ST. PADDY'S DAY PUB CRAWL The Pensacola Beach

Chamber of Commerce invites one and all to the "Go Irish on the Island" Thursday, March 17, for the St. Paddy's Day Pub Crawl. This year will feature 16 participating beach bars, restaurants and hotels serving up Irish drink specials, music and mischief all day long. Pub crawl T-shirts are available for $18. Visit pensacolabeachchamber. com for more information.

FIFTH ANNUAL LUCKY'S ST. PATRICK'S DAY CRAWL Head to the Blend Lounge,

located at 200 S. Palafox, on Sunday, March 19, for a St. Patrick's-themed pub crawl starting at 4 p.m. Visit facebook.com/blendloungepensacola for more information.

ST. PAWTRICK'S DAY PUP CRAWL Spend St. Patrick's Day with your favorite four-legged friends with a dog-friendly pub crawl Saturday, March 19, from 11 a.m.-2:45 p.m. starting at Pensacola Bay Brewery. Tickets are $25-$35 and pre-registration is required. For more information, visit pbbrew.com.

NONPROFITS & FUNDRAISERS

FELINE FRENZY Visit Pensacola Humane

Society Saturday, March 19, from noon-3 p.m., and learn about becoming a PHS foster. Tour through the open house, enjoy food trucks, bounce houses, a tie dye station and more at 5 N. Q St. Visit pensacolahumane.org for more information and a link to their Amazon wish list.

CAT ADOPTIONS IN MARCH Animal Al-

lies will be at Pet Supermarket, 6857 N. Ninth 818 1

Ave., Saturdays March 12 and 26 11 a.m.-3 p.m., and Everett Animal Welfare Group will be at PetSmart on Davis Highway from noon-4 p.m. every Saturday in March. If you can't adopt, you can learn about opportunities to donate, foster or volunteer. All cats are up-to-date on shots, and adoption fee includes spay or neuter with microchip.

ESCAMBIA AND SANTA ROSA JOB FAIR Florida Department of Children and Families and FamiliesFirst Network is hosting a job fair Wednesday, March 23, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at Lakeview Activity Center, located at 1110 W. Lakeview Ave. Recruitment specialists will be on site from both agencies to answer your questions and complete prescreens and conduct interviews.

PENSACOLA HUMANE SOCIETY FUR BALL The Fur Ball, a black-tie gala supporting

the Pensacola Humane Society, is at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, March 26, at the Pensacola Yacht Club. The evening will begin with a cocktail reception, the Puppy Parade, dinner, music, silent and live auctions. A few tickets are still available at $150 per person. The silent auction will have online bidding prior to and during the event. Some sponsorships are still available. For more information call, (850) 450-8958 or email furball@pensacolahumane.org.

REIMAGINE MILTON FREE FOOD GIVEAWAY The community is invited to Reimagine

Milton's free food giveaway Saturday, March 26, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., at Jernigan's Landing, located at 5158 Willing St. There will be free food, fishing lessons with free fishing rods, carnival rides, free baby diapers, free HIV testing, free clothing, free haircuts and more. Lunch will also be provided.

crafts exhibitors to submit applications for the 2022 Pensacola JazzFest, taking place 10 a.m.7 p.m. Saturday, April 2, and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday, April 3, at Seville Square. Application form can be found at jazzpensacola.com. Only original art and handmade crafts will be accepted. No commercial/mass-produced products will be accepted. Please read the complete contract, particularly concerning refunds. All entries are $200 for a 10-by-10 canopy or smaller. All fees go to support Pensacola JazzFest, a free event for the community.

FOO FOO FEST APPLICATIONS Applications are open for vendors to join Pensacola's Foo Foo Festival taking place Nov. 3-14. In 2022, the Pensacola Foo Foo Festival will once again fund top-scoring grant applicants, with the number of grants to be awarded contingent upon the number of submissions. This year, the Foo Foo Festival will provide up to $400,000 in grant funding, and grant applicants can apply for up to $100,000 in grant funding. All organizations, businesses and community partners are encouraged to submit their various events (occurring Nov. 3-14, 2022) for consideration to become a "Friend of Foo," receiving visibility as part of the regional marketing campaign and throughout the 12-day event. To apply for this year's Foo Foo Festival, visit acepensacola.org. To apply for consideration as a "Friend of Foo," visit foofoofest.com. FOO FOO FEST APPLICATION TIMELINE: •Friday, May 6 - Foo Foo Fest Grant Application Deadline (Noon CT) •Tuesday, May 24 - Public Grant Scoring and Official Announcements

ARTS & CULTURE

AN EVENING OF MUSIC AND ART AT GALLERY 1060 Gallery 1060 at First City Art

CALL TO ARTISTS

Center is having a musical and art event in the Art Gallery on the First City campus, located at 1060 N. Guillemard St., on Thursday, March 17, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Fiddle champion Francis Michaels will be performing.

The 309 Punk Project is working on a tribute to the ragtag Old East Hill group that published a

SMOKENWORD POETRY AT EASY GOING GALLERY Show starts at 7 p.m. Thurs-

PUNK MUSEUM CALL FOR EPHEMERA

day, March 17. Easy Going Gallery is located at 701 N. V St. Visit facebook.com/easygoinggallery for more information.

EASY GOING GALLERY "OPEN AIR RAVE" Visit Easy Going Gallery for live music/DJ Friday night, March 18. Visit facebook.com/ easygoinggallery for more information.

RON WHITE Comedian Ron White will be performing Friday, March 18, for two shows at 7 and 10 p.m. at the Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. Tickets are $50-$60. Purchase yours at pensacolasaenger.com. 309 ARTIST IN RESIDENCE: MIKE BRODIE

Photographer Mike Brodie is the next artist in residence at 309. On Saturday, March 19, from 6-10 p.m., the artist will have polaroid selections from his book "A Period of Juvenile Prosperity" and other books for sale. Stop by at 309 N. Sixth Ave. Visit 309punkproject.org for more information.

PENSAPRIDE BENEFIT DRAG SHOW Show starts at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 19, at Easy Going Gallery, located at 701 N. V St. Visit facebook. com/easygoinggallery for more information. DANCING FOR A NEW BEGINNING: FAVORHOUSE FUNDRAISER Join Favor-

House in their inaugural fundraiser to help domestic violence and sexual assault victims on the Gulf Coast. Presented by Fred Astaire Studios, this dance competition is comprised of community leaders paired with professional dancers as they perform their dance routine on the Saenger stage. The event is Saturday, March 19, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $53-$78. Visit pensacolasaenger.com for tickets.

SPECTACLE BY LAUREN GOODWIN SLAUGHTER BOOK RELEASE AND POETRY READING Friday, March 24, at 7

p.m., Panhandler Books and the Department of English at the University of West Florida will host a book launch and reading for Lauren Goodwin Slaughter and her new poetry collection, Spectacle, which is published by Panhandler Books at UWF and distributed by University Press of Florida. The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place at the Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. Light refreshments will be provided.

A JOURNEY THROUGH SONG Visit the

Opera Center, at 75 Tarragona St., 7 p.m. Friday, March 25, for four complete song cycles showcasing the 2021-22 Artists in Residence in their final concert. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at pensacolaopera.secure.force.com/ticket.

DISNEY'S MOANA JR. AT PENSACOLA LITTLE THEATRE Take the kids for a

60-minute adaptation of the 2016 Disney story. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Fridays, March 25, and April 1 & 8; 7:30 p.m. Saturdays, March 26, and April 2 and 9; and 2:30 p.m. Sundays, March 27, and April 3 and 10. Two Thursday performances will be March 31 and April 7 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15-$31 and can be purchased at pensacolalittletheatre.com. inweekly.net

a&e happenings BROADWAY BOOGIE: GROWN-UPS Join

this weekly class on the basics of boogie in a fun, easy-going, non-judgmental setting. Classes are Fridays, April 1-May 20, from 5-6 p.m., at The Gordon Art Center, 306 N. DeVilliers St. This class teaches the fundamentals of musical theatre style dancing including jazz, tap, ballet, ballroom, fosse and more. This class is a beginner-level class for teens and adults, ages 16 and up. Registration is open through March 15 at myneighborhoodtheatre.com.

PENSACOLA ARTS MARKET Enjoy shopping

for a variety of handcrafted wares at Pensacola Arts Saturdays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at 1401 W. Intendencia St. Enjoy art, espresso, vintage goods, baked treats, handcrafted unique gifts and more. Admission is free. For more information, visit facebook.com/pensacolaartsmarket.

SPRING MARKET AT ODD COLONY Visit Odd Colony, located at 260 N. Palafox, for brunch with MI SU Street Food, local vendors and more Sunday, March 20, from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Visit facebook.com/oddcolony for more information. PENSACOLA COMMUNITY MARKET A

community market will be set up across from Ever'man, located at 327 W. Garden St., on Saturday, March 19, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

EASY GOING GALLERY ART MARKET

Every Sunday, Easy Going Gallery and Carter J Studios present a weekly art market Sundays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at Easy Going Gallery, located at 701 N. V St. Enjoy art, espresso, vintage goods, baked treats, handcrafted unique gifts and more. Vendors can participate for a $20 fee. For more information, contact easygoinggalleryart@gmail.com.

TEEN-Y TINY ART SHOW Tweens and teens

have the chance to express themselves with a tiny painting kit from the Pensacola Library. The library will display the work in the lobby display case from Tuesday, March 15-Thursday, March 31. Suggested for middle and high school youths. All materials provided while supplies last.

THE MAROON MARINES: ARCHAEOLOGY AT PROSPECT BLUFF A new tempo-

rary exhibit at The Destination Archaeology Resource Center, located at 207 E. Main St., features the story of the largest free black settlement in what is now the United States. This exhibit is sponsored by City of Pensacola Councilmember Teniadé Broughton. During the War of 1812, a fort was built by Black British Colonial Marines and Indigenous people along the Apalachicola River. Called "Negro Fort" by American officials, it eventually became the center of the largest free Black settlement in what is now the United States. When the war ended, the U.S. believed the fort threatened the institution of slavery and must be destroyed. To the Maroon people who lived there, however, the fort at Prospect Bluff was a beacon of freedom worth fighting for. For more information, visit fpan.us.

GALLERY NIGHT The March Gallery Night is Friday, March 18, from 5-9 p.m. in downtown PenMarch 17, 2022

sacola. This month's them is "Shake Your Shamrock." Explore music, art, foot and more in the open streets. For more information, visit gallerynight.org.

20/22 VISION First City Art Center's latest

exhibit features the new artists at 1060 Gallery. The exhibit is on view through March 18 and is located at 1060 N. Guillemard St. Visit firstcityart.org for more information.

PMA MEMBERS SHOW The PMA Members Show is on view at Pensacola Museum of Art through May 29. View works of art from local artists. For more information, visit pensacolamusuem.org. INTO THE MIRROR: CARRIE ANN BAADE 2021 Members Show winner Carrie

Ann Baade describes herself as steward and axman, returning to the haunting moments in art history in order to reclaim them. By using the "bone yard" of Western painting with reverence, she cuts them up into fragments resulting in collage. In their repainting, these are fierce feminist parables. Paintings made of paintings; the old masterworks are infused with the artist's own experience. The exhibit is on view through May 29. For more information, visit pensacolamusuem.org.

MAPPING NORTHWEST FLORIDA EXHIBIT AT THE PENSACOLA MUSEUM OF HISTORY Visualized Landscapes: A Selection

of Northwest Florida Maps is now on view at Pensacola Museum of History. The exhibit explores the shifting topography of Northwest Florida through a series of maps selected from the Trust Archive. Visualized Landscapes: A Selection of Northwest Florida Maps is on view on the second floor of the Pensacola Museum of History until August. For more information about the UWF Historic Trust or to purchase tickets, visit historicpensacola.org.

VISIONARY APONTE: ART AND BLACK FREEDOM Visionary Aponte: Art and Black

Freedom is from creator José Antonio Aponte, a free black carpenter, artist and former soldier who was also the leader of an ambitious antislavery conspiracy in Cuba in 1812. The exhibit is on view at Pensacola Museum of Art through March 27. Visit pensacolamuseum.org for more information.

2000 MEN: BLACK POLITICIANS DURING RECONSTRUCTION A new exhibit at the Pensacola Museum of History shares the stories and histories of Black politicians during the Reconstruction period. The Pensacola Museum of History is located at 330 S. Jefferson St. For more information, visit historicpensacola.org.

FINDING 1821 Finding 1821 is part of the

UWF Historic Trust's Suddenly American exhibit. Using historic newspapers, maps and documents, it is possible to locate where businesses stood in the 1820s. From taverns to parasol shops, each site on the Finding 1821 trail reflects a local establishment that was near that location 200 years ago. Outside each business is a QR code that links to a corresponding advert from an early 1820s newspa19

a&e happenings per. Over a dozen sites have been identified so far. Take a stroll around town, visit local shops and explore the history of Pensacola through today's technology. Visit historicpensacola.org for more information.

SCRIPTEASERS WITH PENSACOLA LITTLE THEATRE Scripteasers, Studio 400's

and Pensacola Little Theatre's Script Reading Club invites you to monthly script readings at PLT, 400 S. Jefferson St. Want to bring your scripts for the group to read and discuss? Contact Pensacola Little Theatre to get in queue. The group reads prospective scripts for future seasons as well as new scripts that need a table read before the next edit. Not a playwright but love to read out loud? This is your easy, fun theatre night. Fascinated by the play selection process? Sit in for a listen and usually a lot of laughs. Visit facebook.com/pensacolalittletheatre for more information and the latest dates.

OPEN MIC AT THE GORDON Show off

your talents on the second Thursday of every month at The Gordon's Open Mic showcase from 7-10 p.m. Admission is free. The Gordon is located at 306 N. DeVilliers St. Visit thegordon.org for more information.

OPEN MIC COMEDY AT BIG TOP BREWERY Try out some new jokes or enjoy some

homegrown talent every Monday at 7 p.m. for Open Mic Comedy at Big Top Brewery, located at 21 W. Romano St. Everyone gets five

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minutes depending on the number of sign-ups. Registration begins at 6:30 p.m.

NEW CLASSES AT MIXON MAGIC PERFORMING ARTS Mixon Magic Performing

Arts (MMPA), a boutique performing arts studio located at 1010 N. 12th Ave., Ste. 238, will be offering a limited class schedule this fall. MMPA offers professional dance, fitness and "Mommy and Me" instruction for all ages and skill levels with weekly classes including, but not limited to, Creative Movement, Ballet/ Jazz Combo, Broadway, Tap, Showstoppers, Acting and Voice. Classes will be provided for children as young as 2 years old (with a parent or guardian) through adult. MMPA is dedicated to the safety and wellbeing of all students and families and has implemented protocols based on guidance from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Masks are required for entry into the building and studio. More information about Mixon Magic Performing Arts can be found at mixonmagic.com, by contacting hello@mixonmagic.com or emily@mixonmagic.com or by calling (850) 221-7438.

CRAFT CLASSES AT STUDIO SOUTH ON NINE MILE Learn a new craft or meet up with

other makers at Studio South. Tuesday is Knit Night 4-7 p.m., and Sit & Stitch is Saturdays 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Both classes are free. For a full calendar of events, visit studiosouthon9mileroad.com. Studio South is located at 955 E. Nine Mile Road.

CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS AT FIRST CITY ART First City Art Center offers a wide

range of classes and workshops for artists of all levels. Classes include glass blowing, ceramics, painting and drawing, kiln-forming, stained glass and more. For a complete list of classes and times, visit firstcityart.org.

FOOD + DRINKS

A CELEBRATION OF PENSACOLA BEERS

Join Bodacious, located at 407-D S. Palafox, for a Celebration of Pensacola Beers. The pairing dinner will feature some of Pensacola's breweries Friday, March 18, at 6 p.m. Tickets are $99 and can be purchased at bodaciousshops.com.

FOURTH ANNUAL GIRL SCOUT COOKIES & CRAFT BEER PAIRING Get your Girl Scout cookie fix Saturday, March 19, from 4-7 p.m. at Gary's Brewery, located at 208 Newman Ave. Visit facebook.com/garysbrew for more information.

HANDS-ON SUSHI CLASS Join Chef Summer as she teaches the classic art of making sushi Wednesday, March 23, at 6 p.m., at Bodacious, located at 407-D S. Palafox. Tickets are $69 and can be purchased at bodaciousshops.com.

MONTHLY WINE TASTING IN AGAPI GARDEN Visit Agapi Garden, at 555 Scenic

Highway, from 5-7 p.m. to sample five wines for $10. For more information, call (850) 813-5683.

SUNDAY FUNDAY BRUNCH AT THE WELL The Well, located at 42 E. Garden St.,

has expanded its offerings with a Sunday Funday Brunch cocktail menu including items such as Spicy Paloma made with Mezcal, a cold brew cocktail with Irish whiskey, a cucumberinfused spritz and a Bloody Mary spiced with house-made hot sauce and garnished with fresh pickled vegetables. Price range is $9$12. Brunch hours are Sundays from noon-4 p.m. Other small plate offerings are available Thursday-Saturday from 4 p.m.-one hour before closing. For more information, visit facebook.com/thewellpensacola.

FIRST FRIDAY FINE WINES Visit The Nest General Store at 11 S. Palafox, Ste. C, on the first Friday of every month for a wine tasting from 6-8 p.m. Visit bluejaysbakery.com for more information. BAYOU BUZZ COFFEE TASTING TOUR

Seville Savories Food Tour will host a coffee tour of downtown Pensacola Tuesdays-Fridays from 8:30-11:30 a.m. Tickets are available online at sevillesavoriesfoodtour.com.

BURGERS AND BORDEAUX AT UNION PUBLIC HOUSE Every Tuesday night, enjoy

a specialty burger and a glass of Bordeaux for $18 at Union Public House, located at 309 S. Reus St. For more information, visit facebook. com/unionpensacola.

inweekly.net

a&e happenings WEEKNIGHT HAPPY HOUR Every weeknight before 6 p.m. at The 5 Barrel, get $1 off all The 5 Barrel pints, $2 wine by the glass and half off hummus plates when you buy a pint of beer. Visit the5barrel.com for more information.

on Saturdays. Social distancing guidelines will be in effect. For more information, email saturdaysatthemarket@gmail.com.

TABLETOP TUESDAYS AT THE 5 BARREL

milk, eggs, meat, fresh-baked bread, mushrooms, lumber, grits, cornmeal, pies and plants Saturdays from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at East Hill Market, located at 1216 N. Ninth Ave. For a list of vendors, visit facebook.com/easthillmarket.

Join The 5 Barrel for a special Tabletop Tuesday event at 6 p.m. every Tuesday in March. A wide variety of games ranging from the classic chess to the crowd favorite Catan will be available. Players are welcome to bring their own games.

ARAGON WINE TASTINGS Wine tastings at Aragon Wine Market are back every Thursday from 5-7 p.m. in store at 27 S. Ninth Ave. For more information, visit aragonwinemarket.com.

THURSDAY TRIVIA NIGHT AT THE 5 BARREL Gather a group for a weekly Thurs-

day Trivia Night Thursdays from 7-9 p.m. at The 5 Barrel. There will be prizes for every round and select drafts for $3. Find out more at facebook.com/the5barrel.

THURSDAY BIERGARTEN TRIVIA NIGHT Gary's Brewery Trivia Night is back by popular demand. Thursdays from 7-9 p.m., test your trivia skills with a glass of beer or wine. Arrive early to grab a spot. Gary's Brewery is located at 208 Newman Ave. For more information, visit facebook.com/garysbrew.

PALAFOX MARKET Palafox Market is back

at its regular location in MLK Jr. Plaza. In a carefully planned, phased reopening, Palafox Market has launched with about half its regular vendors, showcasing food, farm produce and products geared toward safety and sanitation such as handmade soaps and face masks. For more information, visit facebook.com/downtownpensacola.

EVER'MARKET AT NINE MILE ROAD Visit

Ever'Man at 1000 E. Nine Mile Road on the fourth Saturday of each month for the Ever'Market with food, music, giveaways, activities and more. Visit everman.org for more information.

200 SOUTH SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY Every first Saturday of the month, the

businesses at 200 South will host Small Business Saturday to show support for local businesses. Bring a receipt from a purchase from any other downtown business and receive 10% off your bill at Graffiti Pizza, World of Beer, Taco Agave and Blend Lounge.

PENSACOLA POSITIVITY'S SUNDAY MARKETS Sunday Markets on Palafox Street

happen each Sunday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. in MLK Plaza on Palafox. Local makers, growers and creators gather each under the oak trees to sell their goods to the community. Interested vendors can request an application by emailing requeaskmikellah@gmail.com. For more information, visit facebook.com/palafoxmarkets.

SATURDAYS AT THE MARKET OUTDOOR VENDOR EVENT Located at 5300

Berryhill Road, the outdoor market features artisans and crafters alike from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. March 17, 2022

PENSACOLA POP-UP FARMERS MARKET Check out fresh and organic produce,

UPTOWN PENSACOLA MARKET Check

out local vendors of art, produce and other local treasures every Saturday at 7201 N. Ninth Ave. from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. For more information, visit facebook.com/uptownmarketpensacola.

TWILIGHT THREE-COURSE SPECIAL The

District's Twilight Three-Course special is back Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4:30-6 p.m. Guests enjoy three courses for $35 per person. Diners must be seated by 6 p.m. for offer to be valid. To make a reservation, call (850) 332-5224, or go to districtstreaks.com. The District is located at 123 E. Government St.

LIVE MUSIC

FREE GALLERY NIGHT SHOW WITH MELODIOUS ALLEN & THE FUNK HEADS, MR. MADLOVE Melodious Allen & the Funk

Heads and Mr. MadLove will be performing at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. Show starts at 8 p.m. Friday, March 18. For more information, visit vinylmusichall.com.

DRAYTON FARLEY AT ALGA BEER CO.

Country/folk/roots musician Drayton Farley will be performing at Alga Beer Co., located at 2435 N. 12th Ave., Friday, March 18, at 6 p.m. with special guest Tony Logue.

JASON CRYSELL AT GARY'S BREWERY

Singer and songwriter Jason Crysell will be at Gary's Brewery & Biergarten, located at 208 Newman Ave., on Friday, March 18, from 6-9 p.m. Visit facebook.com/garysbrew for more information.

GOLDIE LAHR AND DAMIEN LAMB AT GARY'S BREWERY Goldie Lahr will be at

Gary's Brewery from 4-6 p.m. Saturday, March 19, and Damien Lamb will be performing from 6-9 p.m. Visit facebook.com/garysbrew for more information.

12TH ANNUAL STUDENT JAZZ COMPETITION Jazz Pensacola will host its annual

student jazz competition at 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 21, at Phineas Phogg's at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. The cost of admission is free. For more information, visit jazzpensacola.com.

PENSACOLA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRESENTS: AMERICAN CLASSICS Enjoy

American classics performed by PSO Saturday, March 26, at 7:30 p.m. at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. For tickets, visit pensacolasaenger.com.

for more listings visit inweekly.net 21

free will astrology WEEK OF MARCH 17 ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): Singer,

dancer and comedian Sammy Davis Jr. disliked the song "The Candy Man," but he recorded it anyway, heeding his advisors. He spent just a brief time in the studio, finishing his vocals in two takes. "The song is going straight to the toilet," he complained, "pulling my career down with it." Surprise! It became the bestselling tune of his career, topping the Billboard charts for three weeks. I suspect there could be a similar phenomenon (or two!) in your life during the coming months, Aries. Don't be too sure you know how or where your interesting accomplishments will arise.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): I love

author Maya Angelou's definition of high accomplishment, and I recommend you take steps to make it your own in the coming weeks. She wrote, "Success is liking yourself, liking what you do and liking how you do it." Please note that in her view, success is not primarily about being popular, prestigious, powerful, or prosperous. I'm sure she wouldn't exclude those qualities from her formula, but the key point is that they are all less crucial than selflove. Please devote quality time to refining and upgrading this aspect of your drive for success.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): "I'm not fake

in any way," declared Gemini actor Courteney Cox. On the face of it, that's an amazing statement for a Gemini to make. After all, many in your tribe are masters of disguise and shapeshifting. Cox herself has won accolades for playing a wide variety of characters during her film and TV career, ranging from comedy to drama to horror. But let's consider the possibility that, yes, you Geminis can be versatile, mutable and mercurial, yet also authentic and genuine. I think this specialty of yours could and should be extra prominent in the coming weeks.

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): "Sometimes

I prayed for Baby Jesus to make me good, but Baby Jesus didn't," wrote author Barbara Kingsolver about her childhood approach to selfimprovement. Just because this method failed to work for her, however, doesn't mean it won't

By Rob Brezsny

work for others. In saying that, I'm not implying you should send out appeals to Baby Jesus. But I suggest you call on your imagination to help you figure out what influences may, in fact, boost your goodness. It's an excellent time to seek help as you elevate your integrity, expand your compassion, and deepen your commitment to ethical behavior. It's not that you're deficient in those departments; just that now is your special time to do what we all need to do periodically—Make sure our actual behavior is in rapt alignment with our high ideals.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): Leo classicist

and author Edith Hamilton specialized in the history of ancient Greece. The poet Homer was one of the most influential voices of that world. Hamilton wrote, "An ancient writer said of Homer that he touched nothing without somehow honoring and glorifying it." I love that about his work, and I invite you to match his energy in the coming weeks. I realize that's a lot to ask. But according to my reading of the astrological omens, you will indeed have a knack for honoring and glorifying all you touch.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): Starhawk, one of my favorite witches, reminds us that "sexuality is the expression of the creative life force of the universe. It is not dirty, nor is it merely 'normal'; it is sacred. And sacred can also be affectionate, joyful, pleasurable, passionate, funny or purely animal." I hope you enjoy an abundance of such lushness in the coming weeks, Virgo. It's a favorable time in your astrological cycle for synergizing eros and spirituality. You have poetic license to express your delight about being alive with imaginative acts of sublime love. LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): In 1634, English

poet John Milton coined the phrase "silver lining." It has become an idiom referring to a redemptive aspect of an experience that falls short of expectations. Over 350 years later, American author Arthur Yorinks wrote, "Too many people miss the silver lining because they're expecting gold." Now I'm relaying his message to you. Hopefully, my heads-up will ensure that you won't miss the silver lining for any reason, including the possibility that you're fixated on gold.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): "This is the

most profound spiritual truth I know," declares author Anne Lamott. "That even when we're most sure that love can't conquer all, it seems to anyway. It goes down into the rat hole with us, in the guise of our friends, and there it swells and comforts. It gives us second winds, third winds, hundredth winds." Lamott's thoughts will be your wisdom to live by during the next eight weeks, Scorpio. Even if you think you already know everything there is to know about the powers of love to heal and transform, I urge you to be open to new powers that you have never before seen in action.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21):

Witty Sagittarian author Ashleigh Brilliant has created thousands of cheerful yet often sardonic epigrams. In accordance with current astrological omens, I have chosen six that will be useful for you to treat as your own in the coming weeks. 1. "I may not be totally perfect, but parts of me are excellent." 2. "I have abandoned my search for truth and am now looking for a good fantasy." 3. "All I want is a warm bed and a kind word and unlimited power." 4. "Do your best to satisfy me—that's all I ask of everybody." 5. "I'm just moving clouds today, tomorrow I'll try mountains." 6. "A terrible thing has happened. I have lost my will to suffer."

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): "All experience is an enrichment rather than an impoverishment," wrote author Eudora Welty. That may seem like a simple and obvious statement, but in my view, it's profound and revolutionary. Too often, we are inclined to conclude that a relatively unpleasant or inconvenient event has diminished us. And while it may indeed have drained some of our vitality or caused us angst, it has almost certainly taught us a lesson or given us insight that will serve us well in the long run—if only to help us avoid similar downers in the future. According to my analysis of your current astrological omens, these thoughts are of prime importance for you right now. AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): "Life

swarms with innocent monsters," observed poet Charles Baudelaire. Who are the "innocent monsters"? I'll suggest a few candidates.

Boring people who waste your time but who aren't inherently evil. Cute advertisements that subtly coax you to want stuff you don't really need. Social media that seem like amusing diversions except for the fact that they suck your time and drain your energy. That's the bad news, Aquarius. The good news is that the coming weeks will be a favorable time to eliminate from your life at least some of those innocent monsters. You're entering a period when you'll have a strong knack for purging "nice" influences that aren't really very nice.

You're entering a period when you'll have a strong knack for purging "nice" influences that aren't really very nice. PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): "Never

underestimate the wisdom of being easily satisfied," wrote aphorist Marty Rubin. If you're open to welcoming such a challenge, Pisces, I propose that you work on being very easily satisfied during the coming weeks. See if you can figure out how to enjoy even the smallest daily events with blissful gratitude. Exult in the details that make your daily rhythm so rich. Use your ingenuity to deepen your capacity for regarding life as an ongoing miracle. If you do this right, there will be no need to pretend you're having fun. You will vividly enhance your sensitivity to the ordinary glories we all tend to take for granted. THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK: What small change could you initiate that will make a big beneficial difference? newsletter.freewillastrology.com

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freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com Rob Brezsny © Copyright 2022

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news of the weird OOOHHH-KKKAAAYYYYY Some romantic relationships are full of drama and strife, so maybe Sandra, 28, of Budapest, Hungary, has come up with a better model. According to Oddity Central, Sandra has fallen for Luffancs, a plastic model of an airplane. After breaking up with her latest human boyfriend in January, Sandra bought Luffancs for $660 and fell madly in love. "I don't know why I love him, I just love him," she said. Sandra works in the aviation industry and is around airplanes every day, but says she will never cheat on Luffancs. In fact, she doesn't know if she'll ever date another human being. "Planes are more reliable as partners," she said. UNCLEAR ON THE CONCEPT When Bshar Ahmed, 30, of Youngstown, Ohio, was arrested on March 7, he told police that he was selling marijuana from the gas station where he was working the midnight shift because he just got out of prison and he needs the money, WKBNTV reported. The owner of the station called officers about Ahmed and produced a bag, which Ahmed admitted was his, that contained bags of weed and a loaded .38-caliber semiautomatic handgun, along with suspected methamphetamine, crack cocaine, indeterminate pills and over $1,000 in cash. Ahmed's previous convictions bar him from possessing a firearm. THE NEIGHBORS When ya gotta go ... At 4:40 p.m. on March 4, Kenneth Clark Carlyle, 64, walked up his neighbor's driveway in his birthday suit and relieved himself, No. 2 style, on the neighbor's glass patio table, The Smoking Gun reported. The whole thing was caught on not one, but two "separate angles of the victim's home security video footage," the police report noted. Clearwater, Florida, officers arrived at Carlyle's RV camper, where they spoke to him "through the door ... and he was still visibly naked and highly uncooperative." The bond on this incident is $250, but he was already in trouble from a December infraction, so he remains in the pokey. UNEXPECTED TRIP Three Michigan men ice fishing in a homemade shanty on Saginaw Bay on March 6 went for the ride of their lives as winds nearing 50 mph pushed their structure about a mile across the ice, the Associated Press reported. The men had spent the night before in the shanty and were aware that a storm was approaching, but thought they could ride it out. But the next morning, someone onshore saw one of them struggling with the hut as it scooted over the ice. It eventually ended up about 1.5 miles offshore before deputies arrived; the men were able to return to shore without rescue equipment and were unharmed. SURPRISE! As construction crews worked to remodel the Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center in Oakland, California, on March 9,

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

they made an alarming discovery, NBC News reported. The building, which has been out of use since 2005, was the final resting place for "an unidentified, decayed body," said Lt. Ray Kelly of the Alameda County Sheriff's Office. "We found remains best described as mummified," he said. "The conditions in the walls were such that the body was preserved in good condition." He said authorities will obtain fingerprints to try to identify the deceased. "Any theory is possible," Kelly said, "... from someone who got in behind the wall and became trapped ... to someone put the person there." IT'S A HEAD-SCRATCHER On March 3 in a quiet Denver neighborhood, someone broke into a box truck parked along a street and stole a box marked "Science Care," KDVRTV reported. Inside the box were a number of human heads that were being transported for use in medical research. The thieves also stole a dolly. Isaac Fields, who lives nearby, was perplexed: Why was the truck parked in his neighborhood? Where was the driver? Why would someone steal human remains? Police wouldn't provide many details because the case is still open. CREEPY Yes, this item is about clowns. Or at least circuses. Or circus train cars. In Nash County, North Carolina, nine railroad cars from the 1960s Barnum & Bailey circus that had been abandoned in the woods caught fire on March 10, WRAL-TV reported. The cars were just outside the city limits of Spring Hope, where they were stored after the North Carolina Department of Transportation bought them in 2017, hoping to refurbish them for passenger service. Later they were put up for auction, but more recently the cars were a popular destination for urban explorers and people seeking shelter. At least four of the cars appeared to be badly damaged by the fire; the cause of the blaze is under investigation. PEOPLE WITH ISSUES Prosecutors have accused 20-year-old Mauricio Damian Guerrero of Bensalem, Pennsylvania, of burglary after he traveled to Somersworth, New Hampshire, and hid in the attic of a woman he had met on the website OnlyFans, WKBN-TV reported on March 7. Guerrero allegedly descended from the attic to take video of the woman while she was sleeping, stole some of her underwear, and planned to place a tracking device on her car. Police were called after someone at the home heard a noise; Guerrero was found on the roof of the home. He was released on bail and ordered to wear a tracking device. {in}

From Andrews McMeel Syndication News Of The Weird © 2022 Andrews McMeel

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